Neither... Part of me wonders if my life would have been different if I'd had the name I chose all along. If only because I would have had more self confidence when speaking at job interviews, or with publishing myself (not under various pseudonyms) and not always hiding behind my nickname. The one success I have to my name, my band, was done under my nickname, Pixie, which is what I had everyone call me until I had a legal name I liked (and could tolerate.) Best friends did not know my birth name, it was that deeply hidden, and I think it hindered me.

Who's to say, though? I could just retroactively be making excuses for thinking I should "follow my dreams" of writing instead of realizing how well wired my brain was for law and similar careers,.... and that I failed at my dreams because I didn't want anyone to address me by my name. Though I know it brought me down a bit any time I ever heard it.